Irene James
English 103
Dr. Vasileiou
Archives Project Essay
May 1,2011
Planned Shrinkage:
During the 1970s, New York City was considered a complete wasteland.
Times Square didn't look like a circus, and the Lower East Side resembled a toxic dump. Crime rates were
up and unemployment rates were sky high. Soldiers returning home from the Vietnam war were turning into complete drug addicts from the tragedy. Prostitution and Drug dealers, also known as pharmaceutical distributors owned the streets of New York City. As a result of the issues on the rise in the 1970s era; New York began to lose 1% of its population a year.
The city wasn't going to stand this for long. Especially housing administrator Roger Starr. Starr had a vision to increase the amount of cash flow in the city. With poverty being at its finest, Starr conjured up the idea of "planned shrinkage". In all actuality, the premise of his idea was to move people from one slum to the next. It took vacant land from one borough and created housing facilities for consumers with low income. Hence, bought about two kinds of federal government programs. One program for middle income housing called the FAJ 236 program and the rent certificate program called the Section 8 program which gave someone a voucher to rent out an apartment.
Developers believed the housing that was demolished in the South Bronx which became vacant land would have more redevelopment value. "Planned shrinkage" did not just affect the boroughs, but specific minorities of African-Americans and Hispanics in those boroughs. Residents were outraged at how often fires would erupt in there communities but nothing was done to stop them in time. Out of the five boroughs in New York City. Manhattan, Brooklyn, and the South Bronx seemed to have been the most affected by Starr's vision. Over 40% of the housing in these areas were being destroyed ubiquitously. Residents were forced to move to the Rockaways in Queens where housing facilities were ready and waiting for them.
Although "planned shrinkage" was a very productive business. It was not very well received. The populations all over the city plummeted. Residents began to protest, claiming the conditions to move were extremely harsh. As a result, tenants began to abandon there homes and commit arson towards there housing facilities.
This was the tenants way of voicing there living conditions as to what "planned shrinkage has done to there communities. Job loss and migration were a couple of the problems that persisted through this era. This left
Brooklyn and the South Bronx in particular completely devastated. This caused quite a dislike for Roger Starr and came close to resigning.
Even though Roger Starr was not the most well-liked person in the city. He was very productive. "Planned Shrinkage is being used today. It's not only in New York City but across the country. His idea set the tone for a lot of the government programs used to facilitate residents across the country. Since the 1970s, employment rates have been on the rise and crime have surprisingly gone down. "Planned Shrinkage" has been improved and even has helped a large portion of families live better. Starr's philosophy was to make more money and more property available to build on. In this day and time, his mission has been accomplished.
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